Automatic adjustable spacing-rack.



No. 776,625. PATENTED DEG. 6, 1904.

A E. A. STIGKNEY. AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE SPAGNG RACK. APPLIOATION FILEDMAR. 11. 1903.

-TID

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED DEO. 6. 1904.

E. A. STICKNEY. AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE SPAGING RACK.

APPLIGATION :FILED MAE.11, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

No. 776.625. PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904.

' E. A. STIGKNEY.

AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE SPACING RACK..

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII BDMAR.11,1903.

N0 MODEL.

Wl TNESSE S /N VE/V TOR @Y m. Qdi-Vf Patented December 6, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR A. STICKNEY, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABL E SPAClNG-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,625, dated December6, 1904.

Application filed March ll, 1903.

To all whom, it 'W1/ray concern:

Be it known that l. EDGAR A. Stricimnr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State ofCalifornia, have invented an Automatic Adjustable Spacing-Rack, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inspacing-racks; and the object of my invention is to provide a rack inwhich the teeth of the same may automatically and accurately be givenvarious pitches uniformly equidistant apart, as may be desired. Y

My invention when used in connection with a spacing-table isparticularly adapted for use in obtaining the proper space for punching,riveting', or impressing a punch or die upon Vany object carried by thespacing-table.

My invention finally consists in the novel combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In describing my invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein likeletters of reference indicate corresponding' parts throughout theseveral views thereof, and in which- Figure l is a sectional Viewthrough the part indicated by the dotted line 0 o in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is atop View. Fig. 3 is a top View showing' the teeth of the rack at adifferent pitch. Fig. 4: is a view of the differentiatingblock inperspective. Fig. 5 is a view of one of the rack-teeth in perspective.Fig. 6 is a sectional view of D at the point indicated by the dottedline at in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a view of the leader-guide in perspective,showing the friction-springs, but on one side only. Fig. 8 is a view inperspective of my improved rack, showing it as applied to aspacing-table in connection with a punching-machine.

Referring to the drawings by reference-letters, A and A are wedges whichloperate against and between the rack-teeth C C and the leader-guide Pand slide over and upon the channel-beams H. The wedges are pro- SerialNo. 147,307. (No model.)

B and Gr to press upon and the teat preventing the wedges from becomingdislodged. The space between the bars B and Gr is made a trifle large,so that the wedges A and A" may readily be removed or inserted whenpressure is not upon them. They are all the same size and form and ofsuch thickness as is consistent with the mechanical construction. Theyshould be of such thickness, however, as will give broadbearing-surfaces not only upon themselves, but also against therackteeth C', C, and C.

C represents the teeth of the rack and are constructed with recesses attheir ends which hold them in place by the projecting arms of thechannel-beams H. The rack-teeth are constructed also with grooves encach side, in

which slide the wedges A and A, and said grooves also prevent the wedgesA and A from becoming dislodged. Cl is a tooth held stationary or in afixed position by the setscrews or clamp-bolts e, and C is a toothintegral with the leader-guide P. The rackteeth C are all of the samesize and form. The rack-teeth are not shown in full detail in Figs. 2and 3 for the purpose of more clearly showing the action of the wedges Aand A and illustrating the principle upon whichA they work. While thetooth C is stationary, it is also held in adjustable position by theset-screws or clam p-bolts .e

S represents shafts, one end of each being provided with a right-handscrew-thread and the other end with a left-hand screw-thread,substantially as shown, and are placed at short intervals apartconsistent with the mechanical construction. They are se journaled attheir ends in the frame of the table or other device to which this rackmay be attached or at their center between the channel-bars H in such amanner that they cannot move endwise.

N represents nuts with corresponding screwthreads which operate upon thescrew-threaded shafts S and carry the bars B and Gr, to which they arerigidly attached by set-screws or bolts N or other suitable means.

B and Gr are bars attached to the nuts N and operate-against the lugsintegral with theV Wedges A and A. The bars B and G may be anj1 desiredlength, reference being had to the length of the spacing-rack.

H represents channel-beams supporting the rack-teeth C C, wedges A A,the guide P, and block D. Itis not material that the beams H bechannel-shaped. Any angle-shaped beams will be suitable so long as theyprovide an arm or leg for the wedges A A, rack-teeth C, and leader-guideP to move upon, substantially as shown and for the purpose hereinafter'specified. f

The beams H may be any desired length, reference being had to the lengthof the spacing-rack.

J represents miter-gears, one part of which is secured to one end ofeach of the shafts S and the other part to the shaft K.

K is a shaft carrying the miter-gears J ratchet-wheel E, and crank I. Itis suitably journaled in any well-known manner.

E is a ratchet-wheel.

F is a pawl engaging in the ratchet-wheel.

I is a crank or any suitable means for producing rotary motion to theshaft K.

D is a movable stop-block upon the channel-beams H and provided withset-screws or bolts w w to secure it to the channel-beams at such apoint on the same as may be desired. The stop-block limits the movementof the wedges A A', rack-teeth C and C.

P is a leader-guide upon the channel-beams H and is provided with atooth C, integral therewith, and with friction-springs M, which pressupon the legs or arms of the beams H above and below, as shown in thedrawings. (See Fig. 7.)

L represents set-screws or bolts for binding and holding the parts P andR together and for increasing or diminishing' the pressure on thefriction-springs M.

T T T T represent the frame, in part, of the bed of a spacing-table ofany suitable construction.

U U U U represent the frame, in part, of a movable work-table orcarriage adapted to suitable guides or ways. Said movable table orcarriage carries the material upon which work is to be performed by apunching or riveting machine. The table is moved by hand-power (notshown) by any well-known and suitable means.

V represents a pawl on said movable table engaging in the adjustablerack and against the rack-teeth C. Said pawl drops by its own weightinto the spaces between the rack-teeth and is so journaled in itsbearings that it will y engage in the rack when the table is moved inthe opposite direction after having' completed its journey in onedirection. The shaft or axis upon which the pawl Vis attached is carriedout and just beyond the frame of the movable table and is provided witha handle by means of which the pawl is reversed for the return movementof the table or for throwing the pawl up out of the rack when adjustingany object upon the work-table.

The operation of my improved rack is as follows: When the wedges A and Aare placed with their inclined sides together in the position as shownin the drawings (see Figs. 2 and 3) and are moved toward the center ofthe rack, the sides adjacent to the rack-teeth C, C, and C" remainparallel, and the distance apart of the parallel sides will vary as thewedges Aand A are moved either toward or from the center. A uniformmotion to all the wedges A and A is imparted to them by the simultaneousaction of the right and left hand screwthreaded shafts S, carrying thenuts N, to which the bars B and Gr are rigidly secured. As the crank lis revolved the motion is communicated by the shaft K to all the shaftsS simultaneously through the medium of the miter-gears J, thence to thenuts N. The nuts N being held against rotation by the bars B and Gr, towhich they are firmly secured, will travelupon the right and left handscrewthreaded shafts S, thereby moving the bars B and Gr against thelugs integral with the wedges A and A and causing the wedges A and A allto be moved at one and the same time and the same distance either in orout, depending upon the direction in which the shaft K was revolved. Thebars B press upon the lugs integral with the wedges A and A when theshafts S are revolved, so that the nuts N are drawn toward each other.The bars G press upon the opposite side of said lugs and draw the wedgesA and A back into their former position when the shafts S are revolvedin the opposite direction. The tooth C is stationary and rigidly securedto the beams H by suitable set-screws or clamp-bolts s z. As the wedgesA and A are moved toward the center the rack-teeth C and leaderguide Pare forced apart and moved toward the stop-block D, which has previouslybeen set and secured to the channel-beams H by suitable set-screws orbolts at such a distance from C as may be desired, reference being hadto the work to be performed upon any object carried by the work-table orcarriage of a spacing-table to which this rack may be attached. Theforcing apart of the rack-teeth C and guide P also causes the wedges Aand A to be moved along and over the channelbeams H and bars G. Theobject of the friction-springs M in the leader-guide P is to cause apartial resistance to the advance of the wedges A and A' and rack-teethC, so that the outer ends of A and A, which are supported by the barsGr, will not lag' behind, but will follow the advance of the teeth C.The resistance of the springs may be increased or diminished byregulating the set-screws L. The employment of the leader-guide P is notIOO IIO

absolutely essential to the working of the spacing-rack and may beomitted, in which case one of the rack-teeth will take its place. I/Vhenthe leader-guideis omitted, the differentiating-block, Fig. 4, when itis used will be placed between the stop-block D and the rack-toothadjacent to said block D. I/Vhen the space between the rack-tooth C andthe block D has been completely and compactly filled and the shaft Klocked by means of the Aratchet-wheel E and pawl F, (the object of theratchot-wheel and pawl being' to lock the various parts, so that the jarof the machinery will not cause the several parts to become loosened,)it will be found that the teeth of the rack are uniformly equidistantapart, and when the work-table or carriage of a spacing'- table to whichthe rack may be attached is moved by an operator by means of a handwheelor other well-known appliance used to move such tables over this seriesof uniformly-distributed teeth it may be caused to be stopped at any ofthe teeth while a hole is being punched, a rivet set, or an impressionmade upon any object carried by a work-table. In resetting the teeth ofthe rack for a shorter distance apart after they have once been set,release the pawl from the ratchet-wheel E and turn the crank I in theopposite direction from that employed in setting the rack. This willcause a reversemotion to be given to thevarions parts and at the sametime will draw the wedges A and A back and away from the center of therack, loosen the setscrews or bolts securing the guide P and block D,and slide them toward the tooth C. This will bring the wedges A and A',rack-teeth C, and leaderguide ID together again. Then reset the block Dat the required distance from the tooth C' and force the wedges A and A'between the rack-teeth, as described in the first instance. The distancebetween the centers of the two end teethmthat is, the tooth C and thetooth C" on the guide P-may be varied or changed by moving the positionof the block D to correspond to the distance which it is required thatthe work-table shall be moved, reference being had to the work to beperformed. In cases where it is necessary to provide but a smallvariation after the rack has once been setwas, for instance, thedifference between the circumferences of two cylinders or pipes whichtelescope-the distance may be changed by inserting' adiiferentiating-block (see Fig. 4t) between the block D and guide P, andin this case it will be necessary to provide for the longer distanceiirst, and the shorter distance will then be made by inserting thedili'crentiating-block, as described. This differentiating-block willcorrespond in thickness to about six and threefourths times thethickness of material from which cylinders or pipes are to be made orwill correspond in thickness to the difference in distance which it isrequired to provide for. In all cases the number of teeth (which arereadily inserted or removed from the rack when pressure is not uponthem) must correspond to the number of holes to be punched,

rivets to be set, or other impression-work to Y -ness) to the rack, sothat every third or fourth or fifth, dac., tooth shall correspond to thedistance between the holes to be punched, rivets to be set, er otherimprcssion-work to be done, and the operator in charge of such spacing'table or carriag'e will cause the table to pass over these extra teethand stop at the tooth corresponding to the work to be performed.

Fig. 9. represents the teeth of the rack at their least distance apart,and Fig'. 3 represents the teeth as having' been advanced or forced.apart, so that their distance apart is one and one-half times that shownin Fig'. 2. It also brings to View another shaft, S. As the wedges A andA are still farther advanced the distance between the teeth increasesuntil they reach their maximum distance apart,

which I prefer to make double their least distance apart.V

The spacing-rack may be any desired length, reference being' had to thelength of the spacing-table or other machine to which it may be attachedor for the purpose for which it is intended.

In illustrating my adjustable rack in connection with a spacingtable andpunch in Fig. 8 I do not wish it understood that I limit its applicationto such a combination. It is equally applicable to other machinery whereit is necessary to provide equidistant spacing for various purposes.

The many advantages of my improved adjustable rack can be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which my invention appertainskwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details ofconstruction with out departing from the principle or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim as my invention, anddesire by Letters Patent to secure, is

l. The combination in a spacing-rack of the IOO IIO

character described, of movable rack-teeth having recesses on each endand grooves on each side in which slide wedges, with the arms or legs ofchannel-beams, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a spacing-rack of the character described, ofmovable rack-teeth and wedges, with a leader-guide having a toothintegral therewith and provided with friction-springs, all substantiallyas shown and described.

4. The combination in aspacing-rack of the character described, of astationary tooth, wedges, movable rack-teeth and leader-guide, with astop-block adjustably secured to channel-beams, all substantially as setforth.

5. The combination ina spacing-rack of the character described, of astationary Itooth, wedges and movable rack-teeth, with a stopblockadjustably secured to channel-beams, all substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in aspacing-rack of the character described, ofwedges, right and left screw-threaded shafts carryingcorrespondingly-threaded nuts to which are secured the bars B and Gwhich operate against the wedges, with the shaft K which is rotativelyconnected with the several shafts S by means of miter-gears, said shaftK being revolved by the crank I and held in adjustable position by theratchet-wheel E and pawl F, all substantially as set forth anddescribed.

7. The combination in a spacing-rack of the character described, of astationary tooth, wedges, movable rack-teeth, leader-guide andstop-block, with a differentiating-block placed between saidleader-guide and stop-block for the purpose of providing a variation indistance, all substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a spacing-rack of the character described, of astationary tooth, wedges, movable rack-teeth and stop-block, with adifferentiating-block placed between the stop-block and the rack-toothadjacent thereto for the purpose of providing a variation in distance,all substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

E. A. STICKNEY.

Vitnesses:

E. H. ROGERS, vJOHN F. ARMSTRONG.

